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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23490538">Lonely At The Top</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AXEe/pseuds/AXEe'>AXEe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Orville (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, I Will Go Down With This Ship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:20:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,423</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23490538</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AXEe/pseuds/AXEe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
      <p>My first time writing for The Orville and for this ship.   Be gentle dear readers :=)</p>
    </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alara Kitan/Ed Mercer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Lonely At The Top</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My first time writing for The Orville and for this ship.   Be gentle dear readers :=)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>**</strong>
</p><p>The <em>Orville’s</em> mess hall was always quiet this late, far after the alpha shift, but before the gamma shift.  Although technically open ‘all hours’ there was usually no one at this exact time.</p><p>Unless your name was Ed Mercer that is.</p><p>Grabbing a glass of beer from the synthesizer, Ed walked over to the windows, staring out at the stars, spotting a few wisps of red-orange color to the right, a nebula maybe, he made a mental note to go and have a look in the morning, but for now it was him, his thoughts, and the large glass of beer to drown out said thoughts.</p><p>Taking a healthy gulp from said glass, he pulled a face at his reflection in the window, sticking his tongue out at it when it looked like it might say something.   Something like he needed to stop drinking so late, that he needed to go to bed before he fell out of his chair during his shift tomorrow morning.</p><p>Something like he needed to stop thinking about Alara Kitan.</p><p>That was a big one.   Right up there with ‘thou shalt not kill’ and ‘don’t lick anything made of metal in winter’.</p><p>(OK, so maybe it was a little <em>less</em> than ‘thou shalt not kill’, but it was still big!)</p><p>When he had first come aboard the ship, taken his first seat in the big chair, most of his thoughts had revolved around Kelly and the gigantic <em>mess</em> that they had left things on, but, gradually, they’d both gotten past that, he had moved on and so had she.  Except while Kelly (for the moment that is) seemed content to be single, Ed had suddenly found his thoughts now revolved on a certain Xelayian security chief.   She was beautiful, sweet, kind, caring, strong (both physically and mentally), funny.</p><p>She was also standing right behind him.</p><p>Jumping about twenty feet in the air at the sight of Alara’s reflection suddenly staring at him, Ed spun around, spilled his beet all over his shirt, got his foot caught on one of the chairs and promptly fell into said chair with a loud <em>thud</em>.</p><p>
  <em>Smooth, Mercer, real smooth</em>
</p><p>Upside, Alara was fussing over him like the proverbial mother hen, apologizing for startling him.  Which was nice honestly, he liked it when she was protective, especially when she was protective of him.</p><p>“Its fine, its fine,” he told her, quickly dragging himself up with as much dignity as he could muster after that “nothing a towel won’t cure” he assured her.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Alara asked uncertainly.</p><p>“Positive,” he beamed, lifting his now-practically-empty glass in a mock toast “so, what are you doing up so late?” he wondered.</p><p>“Can’t sleep” Alara sighed, tiredly rubbing at her temples as she sank into the chair opposite the one he’d fallen into.</p><p>“You too, huh?” Ed sighed as he sat down “must be going around” he chuckled.</p><p>She chuckled back.</p><p>“Must be,” she smirked “why can’t you sleep, sir?” she asked.</p><p>“First off, we’re off duty, call me ‘Ed’,” he told her “second…I don’t know,” he leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling “it’s lonely at the top, kiddo” he finally sighed.</p><p>“Sorry?” Alara asked.</p><p>“It’s lonely at the top,” he repeated “you don’t know that one?” she shook her head “oh, well basically it just means that when you’re in charge you can’t really have any friends” he explained.</p><p>“Because you’re their boss” she nodded.</p><p>“Yep,” he popped his lips on the P “no friends,” he sighed “what about you?”</p><p>“You really want to know?” she asked, sounding skeptical.</p><p>“Sure, why not,” he nodded “c’mon,” he grinned when she looked doubtful “tell you what, you tell me what’s bothering you and I’ll…do a cartwheel across the room”</p><p>She snorted a little laugh at that.</p><p>“No, no, I’m serious,” he insisted “tell me what’s bothering you and I will totally do a cartwheel across this room.   Here,” he held out his comscanner towards her “you can record it, share it with the rest of the crew, give ‘em a laugh”</p><p>“It’s…stupid” she muttered.</p><p>“Me doing a cartwheel? Totally, one hundred percent,” Ed nodded “but, come on, don’t you want to see if I can do it?” he challenged, giving the comscanner a shake.</p><p>Frowning, she looked between it and him, finally snatching it from him.</p><p>“All right, fine,” she declared “<em>but</em> if I tell you, you can’t back out”</p><p>“Deal,” Ed nodded “so?”</p><p>She sighed.</p><p>“I can’t go on dates with anyone” she declared.</p><p>Ed blinked.</p><p>“Like…ever?” he asked “why not? Is this like…some Xelayan celibacy thing?”</p><p>“No, no,” she shook her head “just…most of the men on the ship get really insecure about my strength” she admitted.</p><p>“What?” Ed exclaimed “come on, that’s stupid.   Who in their right mind would do that?”</p><p>“Everyone” she muttered.</p><p>“No,” Ed shook his head “not everyone”</p><p>“Really?” she asked “name one person, one <em>man</em>, who isn’t uncomfortable at how strong I am”</p><p>“Well, there’s me” Ed shrugged.</p><p>“OK, yes,” she nodded “you never have and I’m extremely grateful for that, but I meant…” she trailed off.</p><p>“Oh! <em>Oh!</em>” Ed nodded “you mean like…in bed”</p><p>“Yeah” she nodded, she didn’t blush as far as he knew, but he knew that if she could she’d be as bright red as her uniform.</p><p>“Hey,” Ed shrugged “their loss”</p><p>“So…the idea doesn’t bother you?” she wondered.</p><p>“What, sleeping with a Xelayan woman? No,” Ed snorted “honestly, I’d think it’d be kinda hot actually,” he continued.</p><p>He froze, suddenly realizing the implications of that sentence, and, it seemed, so did she.   Finally, unable to stand the horrible awkward silence any longer, he coughed.</p><p>“I’m just…gonna…pretend I didn’t say that and go and be one with my shame” he muttered, moving to stand up, only for her to lightly touch his arm, stopping him.</p><p>“You really wouldn’t mind?” she asked softly.</p><p>Not trusting his stupid mouth anymore, Ed settled for shaking his head.   Looking down, he saw that her hand was still on his arm, and as he watched, she lightly glided her fingers down, past his wrist, to very gently link her fingers with his.</p><p>For a moment neither of them moved, they stayed like that, her fingers lightly hooked with his own.   Feeling bold, he took a step forward towards her and, when she didn’t pull away, took another step.   Slowly, she stood up; their hands still linked, and then she gently leaned up and pressed a light kiss to his cheek.</p><p>Neither of them spoke as she slowly rested her head against his shoulder.</p><p>“<em>Thank you</em>” he heard her mumble into his shirt.   Her voice sounded tired, drowsy.   Looking down at their still-joined hands, Ed gave a light tug…</p><p>
  <strong>**</strong>
</p><p>They remained silent all the way back to her quarters.   Unlocking the doors, she stepped through them, pausing to look back at him.</p><p>“Well,” she began “good night…Ed”</p><p>“Good night, Alara” he replied.   Turning to leave, he was stopped at another light touch on his arm.  Looking back, he stared at her as she smiled shyly.</p><p>“You, uh, still owe me that cartwheel” she pointed out softly.</p><p>Ed felt himself grin.</p><p>“Tell you what,” he began “I’ll do that cartwheel tomorrow night <em>if</em> you have dinner with me before”</p><p>She frowned, looking uncertain.</p><p>“Dinner,” she repeated “like…on a date?”</p><p>“Well that’s what we Humans call it anyway,” he grinned and then sobered when the joke fell flat “look,” he began “there’s obviously…<em>something</em> here between us, so why don’t we have a nice dinner, just the two of us, and…see what happens? No uniforms, no ranks, just…us.   Sound good?”</p><p>Her frown deepened as she nibbled on her bottom lip uncertainly.   Finally, she looked up, a fierce determination in her eyes.</p><p>“Deal” she grinned.</p><p>“All right,” Ed grinned “cool”</p><p>Stepping back, she released his arm.</p><p>“Cool” she nodded, grinning shyly as the doors slid shut.</p><p>Now alone in the corridor, Ed threw his hands up in the air, letting out a whoop of joy.</p><p>“Captain?”</p><p>Another crewman was rounding the corner, probably heading for bed himself.</p><p>“Sorry” Ed called out.</p><p>He wasn’t, not really, because he had a date with the lovely Alara Kitan tomorrow night.   Feeling a bit of spring in his step, he headed back to his own quarters, suddenly feeling sleepy.</p><p>Sleep was good, he told himself, the quicker he got to sleep, the quicker he could get to his date…</p><p>
  <strong>END</strong>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Let me know what you thought :=)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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